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Brussels terror trial: Jurors selected, proceedings to begin
With jury selection completed, the criminal trial concerning the Brussels bombings of 2016 is beginning to get under way, and looks set to be the most expensive trial the country has ever seen.
The terror attacks took place on 22 March 2016, when bombs were set off in Maelbeek metro station and at Brussels airport, killing 32 people and injuring hundreds.
The jury that will try the suspects involved consists of five men and seven women who were chosen out of nearly 1,000 people who were summoned.
An estimated 300 of those thousand were exempted beforehand, mainly for medical reasons but also some private reasons, including holidays booked before the summons or personal connections to victims or lawyers involved with the trial.
Among those summoned was Belgian athlete Kevin Borlée, who was exempted for reasons not specified but presumably related to his status as a public figure after earning gold in the Olympics as a runner.
There will be 12 jurors in total with 24 jurors in reserve (15 men, nine women). These jurors can replace one of the 12 jurors at any time in the event of illness or some other disqualifying factor.
A gender balance is a requirement, with no more than eight men or eight women.
Jurors for the trial will receive a stipend equal to their salary, in addition to a daily allowance of roughly €48 and coverage for any travel expenses.
They are not permitted to express emotions throughout the trial, and are forbidden from discussing their thoughts or feelings regarding the proceedings with anyone outside of official and private deliberations.
If a selected juror does not attend the trial, they can be fined between €400 and €8,000.
The 12 chosen jurors will follow what promises to be a long, arduous trial with 10 defendants accused of being behind the worst terrorist attack in Belgian history.
Now that the selection is finalised, the trial is set to begin on Monday 5 December at 9.00.
While it was originally scheduled to start in October, the proceedings were postponed for various reasons, including debate over having the defendants stand in ‘glass cages’ during the course of the proceedings.
Although 10 men are accused, only nine will appear in court as the 10th defendant is presumed dead.
The trial is expected to last between six and nine months and promises to be the most expensive in Belgium’s history, with an expected price tag of €35.3 million.
Much of these costs stem from the infrastructure required for a trial of this magnitude, including extensive renovations to the building in which it will take place.
Court costs are also significant, including the salaries of interpreters. The cost of on-site security has not yet been taken into account.